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The camp of Senator Rodante Marcoleta flagged the prosecution’s attempt to present Cecil Federizo, the attorney who notarized the deed of donations worth P75 million in total for Marcoleta’s campaign expenses.
“They are expecting to obtain evidence from the witness to either prove that the deed of donation was not executed properly. This is a violation of presumption of innocence,” said Marcoleta’s counsel David Michael Gabriel, referring to the deed listing donations of P30 million dated Jan. 6, 2025, P25 million in January 8, 2025 and P20 million in January 9, 2025.
“If it's an attempt to impugn the deed of donation, then we have a problem,” he added.
The prosecution and the defense ultimately both agreed that it was Federizo who notarized the deeds of donation during the end of the last day of the prosecution’s evidence in chief last October 13.
The first day of the defense’s presentation of evidence is scheduled for Thursday, October 22.
Last Friday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said he sees the Marcoleta case being resolved in a year because the prosecution was able to present its evidence within three months since they filed the case.
“When he asked for a bail hearing, we thought it best to present all our evidence immediately. And we rested our case already, which means it's his turn to present evidence,” Remulla said.
“We filed the case three months ago. If we took three months to present our case, he [Marcoleta] should have to do the same. We might be breaking records here, especially if the Sandiganbayan will really do its job in less than one year,” he added.
He said that the court taking 15 years to resolve a case, just like the pork barrel scam and fertilizer fund cases, should not be the norm.
“It is so important that we can break ground here, that this can be resolved within one year,” Remulla said.
— BM, GMA News